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Medical Education
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Class of 2028 Presents Summer Research

(November 5, 2025) — Nearly 75% of the School of Medicine’s Class of 2028 conducted research between their first and second years of medical school in the summer of 2025. On October 29, they presented their work at the Summer Research Scholars Capstone celebration at Dahlgren Memorial Library.

More than 100 Georgetown and MedStar Health faculty members from 25 academic clinical departments mentored the 140 medical students who conducted the summer research.

“Tonight is a celebration about the very visible connection between Georgetown University and MedStar Health, a world-class university and a world-class health system,” said Munish Goyal, MD, FACEP, who helped organize the annual event.

Three men converse in a room

(From left) Munish Goyal, MD, who helped organize the event, pictured with alumnus Jesse Pines, MD, MBA, MSCE (M’01, G’01), who delivered this year’s Sarah Stewart Lecture, and his father, donor and supporter Wayne Pines.

Launched nearly two decades ago by colleagues at MedStar Health, students now conduct their research through multiple programs at Georgetown, including the MedStar Summer Scholars Program, the Clinical Research Scholars Track, the Mitchell Scholars Program, the DC Area Health Education Center (AHEC) in the Primary Care Leadership Track, and the Population Health Scholars Track.

The medical school’s executive dean, Norman J. Beauchamp Jr., MD, MHS, said research opens a pathway to improving health for all and contributes to the formation of future leaders who will transform health.

“When you think about how much people struggle, how many people go without access to health, hope, and healing, [you ask] ‘How are we going to do this better?’” he said. “It’s discovery and it’s every single day asking, ‘What couldn’t I do for the people who came to me for help?’ and then make sure we find the ways to give them that help.”

As part of the application process for the research projects, faculty outline research opportunities and students then rank their selection to be matched. Physician-mentors work with the students over the course of the project, culminating in the capstone presentation. Many of the students will continue their research and present it as their independent scholarly project in the spring of their fourth year, a requirement for all students.

A male medical student gives his presentation to an audience of medical students and others seated in chairs

Capstone presentations were the culmination of the work students did with their physician-mentors.

Scenes from the 2025 Summer Research Capstone Presentations

Slide 1 of 10

Six individuals stand together
Addisu Mesfin, MD, Laconi Family Vice Chair of Research and professor of orthopedic surgery, Georgetown University School of Medicine, with the medical students he mentored over the summer.
A faculty member asks a question
Faculty and staff from throughout the medical center attended the Summer Research Scholars Capstone event.
A medical student speaks before an audience
Medical student Kylan Kelley (M’28) presented his research.
A doctor and several medical students listen to a presentation on Student Research Day
MedStar Health physicians including Gabriel Gondolesi, MD, of the MedStar Georgetown Transplant Institute (pictured far left) attended the student presentations.
A medical student gestures during her presentation to an audience seated before her.
Medical student Cristen Huynh (M’28) presented her research.
A medical student gives her presentation
Medical student Subhi Saibaba (M’28) presented her research.
Dr. Timpone, Dr. Topol and a medical student listen as a presenter fields a question.
(From left) School of Medicine associate deans Deborah Topol, MD, FACP, and Joseph Timpone, MD, attended the Summer Research Scholars Capstone event.
A medical student gives a presentation before an audience
Medical student Atef Fayed (M’28) presented his research.
A medical student gives her presentation
Medical student Agnes Lin (M’28) presented her research.
Several medical students stand together and chat
Nearly 75% of the School of Medicine’s Class of 2028 conducted research during the summer of 2025.
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student experience
student research
Summer Research Scholars Capstone